The invention relates to a pattern selecting device for electronic sewing machines, and more particularly to a pattern selecting device for such a sewing machine in which patterns to be stitched by the sewing machine are divided into groups in dependence upon the types thereof and the frequencies in that the patterns may be preferably selected and used by the sewing machine operator. Some of the pattern groups are selectively hidden or made visualized by operation of a changeover switch for the convenience of the sewing machine operator when selecting the patterns, so that only the visualized patterns may be selected by the same pattern selecting switches.
Generally an electronic sewing machine is incorporated with an electronic memory which is small sized, but may store a great number of patterns to be stitched. It is therefore necessary to show all the pattern indicia on the sewing machine together with the corresponding number of pattern selecting switches, so that the sewing machine operator may selectively produce any of the patterns. Under such circumstances, it would be very difficult and troublesome for the sewing machine operator to discriminate and find out a desired pattern from so many patterns. Moreover, the limited space of the panel is all covered with the pattern indicia and the accompanied pattern selecting switches. As the result, the sewing machine would be considerably deteriorated with respect to the pattern selecting operation as well as the outer appearance of the sewing machine.